Gateshead local elections 2026: All you need to know
PA MediaAll of Gateshead Council's seats will be contested on Thursday 7 May as part of an all-out local election.
Elections will be taking place across the UK.
Three councillors will be elected in each of Gateshead's 22 wards, with 66 seats contested in total.
A list of candidates will be published after 9 April and polling cards will be sent with information on where to vote.
When are the local elections in Gateshead?
Polling stations are open from 07:00 to 22:00 BST on Thursday 7 May.
As long as you are in the queue by 22:00, you will be allowed to vote.
The deadline to register to vote is Monday 20 April, which can be done online.
Gateshead Council is currently controlled by the Labour Party, and its political make-up is:
- Labour Party - 46 seats
- Liberal Democrat - 18 seats
- Independent - 2 seats
The local authority is responsible for services including waste management and planning and building control.
PA MediaGateshead Council said it would have 97 polling stations open across the borough.
There is a requirement for voters to provide photographic identification at polling stations.
This can include passports, driving licences or some other government issued documents.
You can also apply for a "free voter authority certificate" if you do not already have an accepted form of photo ID.
Ballot papers can be marked with a pencil or pen.
You can bring your own with you, and they will be available at the polling station too, the council says.
Mark a cross (X) in the box opposite the name of the candidate you are voting for.
If you would prefer to vote by post, you can apply here.
The council said votes would be counted from the next morning.
It plans to count in two sessions on Friday 8 May; half in the morning expected to start at 09:00, and half in the afternoon expected to start at 13:00.
Analysis by Richard Moss, BBC North East & Cumbria political editor
This year's Gateshead elections are the most significant for more than two decades.
Boundary changes mean every council seat is being contested. That last happened in 2004, and since then generally only a third of seats have been up for grabs in any one year.
It heightens the chance of significant change at a council Labour has run since its formation in 1974.
Labour's campaign will promise investment of more than £700m in the area over the next five years, covering everything from new homes to filling potholes.
The party is also planning a council tax rise from April of 4.99%. It says that is a sensible approach to balance the budget and protect services, but it will need to persuade voters they are getting value for money.
Their record is coming under attack from the Liberal Democrats, who are the main opposition on the authority, and hope to make gains.
They point to the condition of Gateshead town centre, and the ongoing scar of the A167 flyover. That remains closed after being shut in 2024 because of serious structural problems. It is due for demolition soon to open the way for regeneration, but as campaigning began the work was yet to begin.
A plan to build a conference centre and arena next to The Glasshouse on the quayside also remains stalled.
But there will also be a strong challenge from Reform UK, who will look to make serious inroads on a council where they are currently unrepresented, mirroring the success they enjoyed in County Durham in 2025.
It is likely to point to the lower 1.99% council tax rise it is introducing in Durham as evidence of the difference it can make, though that would require finding significant budget cuts.
The Green Party will also be hoping to win its first seats on the council, after recent success in neighbouring Newcastle and South Tyneside.
The Conservatives have not had a councillor on the authority since the mid-1990s. They will also attack Labour's record in the borough but could struggle to end that drought.
Independents will be a factor in some wards, and two currently sit on the council.
